Tobacco may be enjoyed in a so-called “smokeless” form. Particularly popular smokeless tobacco products are employed by inserting some form of processed tobacco or tobacco-containing formulation into the mouth of the user.
Various types of smokeless tobacco products are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 1,376,586 to Schwartz; U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,756 to Pittman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,993 to Sensabaugh, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,269 to Story et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,907 to Townsend; U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,352 to Sprinkle, III et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,416 to White et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,694,686 to Atchley et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. D335,934 to Howard; U.S. Pat. Pub. Nos. 2005/0244521 to Strickland et al. and 2006/0162732 to Winn et al.; 2006/0191548 to Strickland et al., 2007/0261707 to Winterson et al., 2007/0062549 to Holton, Jr. et al.; 2007/0186941 to Holton, Jr. et al.; 2008/0166395 to Roush; and PCT Pub. Nos. WO 04/095959 to Arnarp et al.; WO 06/004480 to Engstrom; WO 05/041699 to Quinter et al.; and WO 07/138,484 to Wrenn et al.; each of which is incorporated herein by reference. One type of smokeless tobacco product is referred to as “snuff.” Snuff typically is formulated in “moist” or “dry” forms.
Representative smokeless tobacco products have been marketed under the trade names Oliver Twist by House of Oliver Twist A/S; Copenhagen, Skoal, SkoalDry, Rooster, Red Seal, Husky, and Revel by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co.; “taboka” by Philip Morris USA; and Levi Garrett, Peachy, Taylor's Pride, Kodiak, Hawken Wintergreen, Grizzly, Dental, Kentucky King, Mammoth Cave by Conwood Sales Co., L.P., Interval by Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., and Ariva and Stonewall by Star Scientific, Inc.
Representative types of snuff products, commonly referred to as “snus,” are manufactured in Europe, particularly in Sweden, by or through companies such as Swedish Match AB, Fiedler & Lundgren AB, Gustavus AB, Skandinavisk Tobakskompagni A/S and Rocker Production AB. Snus products available in the U.S.A. are marketed under the trade names Camel Snus Frost, Camel Snus Original and Camel Snus Spice by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.
Snus products, such as Camel Snus Original, are commonly supplied in small teabag-like pouches. The pouches are typically a nonwoven fleece material, and contain about 0.4 to 1.5 grams of pasteurized tobacco. These products typically remain in a user's mouth for about 10-30 minutes. Unlike certain other smokeless tobacco products, snus do not require expectoration by the user.
Consumers may find that the flavor and sensations of the tobacco in a snus fleece pouch are different than loose tobacco. The fibers of these fleece fabrics generally are configured to retain the tobacco particles and many are made predominantly of viscose (regenerated cellulose, also called rayon) with a coating of an acrylic polymer that acts as the fiber binder in the nonwoven fabric and provides for heat-bonding/sealing of the snus pouches. The flavor may be different qualitatively from that of other oral tobacco products. The flavor may be altered by the fleece material forming the pouch. It may be desirable to provide snus pouches with similarity to loose tobacco formulation flavors, an ability to impart flavor (that may differ in time provided and variation of flavor strength as compared to other products), and to provide a pouch that may be biodegradable
The fleece used for snus also may change color after being stored over time. This color change may include yellowing of the fleece material. Some consumers may prefer a pouch that retains a particular color, or that exhibits particular color changes with use and/or the passage of time. Color may be used to indicate a flavor of a snus pouch. Snus is commonly supplied in various flavors such as Camel Snus Frost and Camel Snus Spice. The snus may be flavored by mixing flavor into the tobacco, adding microcapsules or the like to the tobacco, or adding flavor strips to the tobacco. U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,507 to Dube et al. describes numerous methods of accomplishing this, and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
It may be desirable to provide pouches with differing degradability profiles, including—for example—biodegradability traits, while providing desirable pouch integrity and sensory profile (e.g., flavor, mouth-feel) during use.
It would be desirable to provide snus or other smokeless formulations with desirable components, methods of manufacturing, and packaging, all associated with efficient production of products that provide enjoyment and satisfaction when employed by a user of that smokeless tobacco product.